Railway ballast distributing car



J. F. BRYAN, JR

RAILWAY BALLAST DISTRIBUTING CAR July 30, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledNov. 12, 1965 mvsmoa JOHN F. BRYAN, an @M 6 ATTORNEY July 30, 1968BRYAN, JR 3,394,663

RAILWAY BALLAST DISTRIBUTING CAR Filed Nov. 12, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 211W I0 I 80 1 n M1; MUM H mvsm'on JOHN F. BRYAN, JR.

@MUML, t lk-J ATTORNEY July 30, 1968 J. F. BRYAN, JR 3,394,663

RAILWAY BALLAST DISTRIBUTING CAR Filed Nov. 12. 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 'l2 I OIL M 25 f L STORAGE 4 I a. 82 i I g MOTOR 23 20 34 AND 40 I a I,PUMP 820 I I 86 2! 22 INVENTOR JOHN F. BRYAN, JR.

L MW ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,394,663 RAILWAY BALLASTDISTRIBUTING CAR John Bryan, Jr., Irving, Tex., assignor to TrakworkEquipment Company, Irving, Tex., a corporation of Texas Filed Nov. 12,1965, Ser. No. 507,496 6 Claims. (Cl. 105239) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREThis invention relates to handling of railway ballast, and moreparticularly, to a gondola which permits exercise of different optionsin the disposal of railway ballast removed from beneath the railroadtrack.

In treating railway ballast, several systems have been provided forremoval of ballast from under railroad ties and for handling the same.Systems are known wherein ballast is loaded onto a conveyor belt fortransport to a mobile cleaning or treating system. The present inventionis directed to an improved unit, auxiliary to a railroad undercutter, topermit variation in the mode of operation, particularly with respect tothe ultimate disposition of the removed ballast.

In accordance with the present invention, a gondola is provided forhandling ballast removed from beneath a railroad track. The gondola hasa hopper adjacent to the top front wall thereof. A pair of gravitychutes extend from the hopper, laterally across the front wall of thegondola to and beyond the sides thereof. A powered conveyor delivers astream of ballast across the top of the hopper to the gondola. A batterboard is selectively movable as to intercept the stream of ballast andto divert the stream into the hopper. A diverter blade, pivoted on alongitudinal axis in the region of the hopper, provides selectivecontrol of the distribution of the ballast as between the two chutes.

Preferably, the conveyor applies a towing force to the gondola adjacentto the top front wall. The gondola is provided with a gate in the bottomthereof and gates extending along the lower portions of the side walls.Adjustable wing blades may extend outwardly from the rear of the gondolato work any ballast released from the gondola via the gates or depositedalong the sides of the gondola through the chutes. Further, a poweredconveyor is mounted for pivotal movement on a vertical axis in theregion of the stream of ballast and at the top of the gondola, and ismovable into and out of the ballast stream for selectively interceptingthe ballast stream and to convey the same away from the gondola.

For a more complete understanding of the present invention and forfurther objects and advantages thereof, reference may now be had to thefollowing description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings in which:

'FIGURE 1 is an isometric view showing the gondola of the presentinvention; I

FIGURE 2 is a front view of the unit of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a side view of the unit of FIGURE 1.

Referring now to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, a ballast gondola 10 has beenillustrated in which a body 11 is mounted on a frame 12, which frameextends rearwardly of the body 11. As best shown in FIGURE 2, thegondola 10 is provided with a running gear 13 for travel over a railway14. The gondola 10 is towed behind an undercutter (not shown) whichremoves ballast from beneath and between the ties of a railway 14 anddeposits the same onto a conveyor 15. The undercutter has not beenshown, but may be of the type manufactured by Trakwork Equipment Companyof Dallas, Tex., wherein the conveyor 15 serves as a coupling linkbetween the undercutter and the gondola 10, thereby applying a towingforce to the gondola 10 in the region of the upper edge of the frontwall 16.

The body 11 has side walls 17 and 18, a rear wall 19, and a bottompanel, not shown in FIGURE 1. Side wall 17 has a slidable gate 20 whichextends the length of the body 11 along the lower margin of the side 17.The gate 20 slides in a way formed by a pair of angle iron bars 21 and22 welded onto the outside of wall 17. Lugs 23 and 24, fastened to theupper edge of the gate 20, are coupled by way of rigid arms 25 and 26 tocrank arms 27 and 28, respectively. Crank arms 27 and 28 are rigidlymounted on a shaft 29 which extends the length of the body 11 and isjournaled adjacent to the upper edge of the end panels 16 and 19. Thecrank arm 28 has an extension 30 which is coupled to the piston 31 of ahydraulic cylinder 32. By actuation of the cylinder 32, the gate 20 maybe raised and lowered.

A pair of distributing panels 35 and 36 are pivotally mounted as toextend outward of the lower margin of the body 11 to convey ballastflowing past the gate 20 beyond the ends of the ties of the railway. Thepanel 36 is pivoted on an elongated shaft 37. The panel 35 is hinged ona hinge pin 38 to the outer edge of the panel 36. A pair of rotatablestops 40 and 41 are pivotally supported in the lugs 23 and 24,respectively, so that the panels 35 and 36 can be locked in a closedposition until the cylinder 32 is actuated to raise the gate 20.

A similar gate is provided along the lower margin of the side 18. Thelatter gate is actuated by means of the crank unit 42 which is poweredfrom a cylinder 43 and which actuates an elongated shaft 44.

A spreader blade 50 is pivotally secured to the extensions of the frame12 behind the body 11 with arms 51 and 52 being of different lengths sothat the frame can be canted outward to work ballast deposited along theside of the railway through the gate 20'. A strut 53 provides rigidityfor the blade 50. Chain 54 provides for adjustment to control the angleof the blade 50.

While not shown, a slidable panel in the bottom of the body 11 isprovided to dump ballast directly onto the center of the railway. Bythis means, the ballast may be dumped directly from the gondola 10 tothe track area between the rails. The sliding trap door is selectivelyactuated by a hydraulic cylinder 60.

A traveling frame 61 is mounted on four pairs of rollers 62-65 fortravel over a track formed by the elongated shafts 29 and 44. A beltconveyor 66 is mounted on a turntable 67 for rotation on the frame 61. Amotor-driven pinion 68 is provided for positioning the conveyor 66. Theconveyor 66 is provided with an input hopper 69. The conveyor isselectively positioned along the length of the shafts 29 and 44 by ahydraulic cylinder 70. The cylinder 70 is anchored at the rear end tothe end wall 19 and is coupled to a lug 71 on the frame 61. By actuationof the cylinder 70, the hopper 69 can be moved as to intercept the flowof ballast delivered into the gondola by the conveyor 15. The conveyorbelt 66 is powered by a conventional hydraulic motor (not shown) so thatthe ballast may be projected olf to the side of the railway. Theturntable 67 may be actuated to select the side On which the ballast isto be deposited. When carriage 61 is retracted by actuation of thecylinder 70, the ballast from conveyor will be stored in the body 11.

A suitable power unit, such as an internal combustion engine, may bemounted on the rear extension of the frame 12 and the hyydraulic pumpactuated thereby will be coupled by suitable hydraulic lines to thecylinders 32, 43, and 70. Control valves therefor may be convenientlymounted on the rear wall 19.

The engine and pump, along with an oil storage tank, have been indicatedby legends in FIGURE 1.

As shown in the figures, a hopper is mounted adjacent to the top of thefront wall 16. The hopper 80 has a rectangular upper mouth and has twodepending laterally extending chutes 81 and 82. The chutes extendlaterally across the front wall of the body 11. A vertical slidingbatter board 84 is mounted in a slideway (not shown) on the front wall16. The batter board is selectively positioned in elevation by ahydraulic cylinder 86. When extended, the batter board is projectedupward into the path of the ballast from the conveyor 15, best shown inFIGURE 3, so that the ballast is delivered into the hopper 80.

A diverter blade 90, having a handle 91, is mounted for pivotal movementon a longitudinal axis within the hopper 80 for selective control of thedistribution of the ballast as between the chutes 81 and 82. In positiona, the blade 90 diverts all of the ballast through the chute 82. Inposition 90b, the blade 90 diverts all of the ballast through the chute81. In position 90c, the blade 90 would divide the ballast equallybetween the chutes 81 and 82.

The ballast which is delivered to the side of the railway by either ofthe chutes may be worked by the blade, such as blade 50. Thus, anoperator has options to store ballast temporarily in the gondola,intercept the ballast and divert it and spread it equally on both sidesof the railway through the chutes 81 and 82, place the ballast all onone side through one of the two chutes, or project the ballast clear ofthe railway by the use of the conveyor 66.

It will be noted that the linkages and the distributor boards for theside gates, shown in some detail in FIG- URE 1, have not been shown inFIGURE 2. Further, the body 11 has been shown to be rectangularpolyhedron form in FIGURE 1. In FIGURE 2, the sides are canted inwardly.It will be understood that a second blade like blade 50 will be providedon the right side of the body 11.

The chute 81 is shown with a foldable extension 81a so that the ballastfrom chute 81 may be delivered closer ly adjacent to the end of the tiesor may be deposited beyond the ends of the ties and off the edge of theshoulder of the railway. The extension 81a is pivoted at point 81b sothat, when traveling to clear the railway, the extension 81a may befolded inward within the clearance profile of the system. The chute 82will likewise have an extension.

Having described the invention in connection with certain specificembodiments thereof, it is to be understood that further modificationsmay now suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and it isintended to cover such modifications as fall within the scope of theappended claims,

What is claimed is:

1. In railway maintenance where ballast removed from under a railroad isto be handled, the combination which comprises:

(a) a gondola having a chassis with end and side walls,

(b) a hopper mounted adjacent to the top of the end wall of saidgondola,

(c) a pair of gravity chutes extending from said hopper laterally acrosssaid end wall to opposite sides of said gondola,

(d) powered conveyor means for delivering a stream of said ballastacross the top of said hopper and into said gondola,

(e) a movable batter board mounted on said gondola in the region of thetop of said end wall and movable between two positions for interceptingsaid stream and diverting said stream into said hopper in one of saidpositions, and

(f) a diverter blade pivoted on a longitudinal axis in said hopper andmovable to distribute said ballast to said chutes.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which said gondola hasslidable gates, one along the bottom portion of each side wall thereof.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2 in which wing blades extendoutwardly from one end of said chassis to work any ballast released fromsaid gondola via said gates or deposited from said chutes.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which said conveyor means isconnected to apply a towing force to said gondola adjacent to said topfront wall.

5. In railway maintenance where ballast removed from under a railroad ishandled, the combination comprising:

(a) a gondola having end and side walls,

(b) powered conveyor means coupled to said gondola for delivering astream of ballast to one end of said gondola,

(c) a carriage mounted at the top region of said gondola for movementbetween said end walls of said gondola,

(d) a belt conveyor mounted on said carriage for pivotal movement on avertical axis, and

(e) means to move said carriage and said conveyor into and out of saidstream of ballast to selectively intercept said ballast.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5 and further comprising meanscoupled to slidable gates extending along the bottom portion of eachside wall of said gondola for dumping ballast from said gondola.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,093,734 4/1914 Shaffer --2561,418,402 6/1922 Scott 104'-1 1,743,579 1/1930 Straw 37104 X 2,989,9306/1961 Flowers 105248 3,075,812 1/1963 Niece 2988 3,167,193 1/1965 Klosk214-8326 ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

H. BELTRAN, Assistant Examiner.

